Sample wine, cheese at Grotto in Oak Brook

Sample wines and cheeses at a complimentary wine and cheese tasting at Grotto Italian Steakhouse Monday, Dec. 13. Featured wines are the Cupcake Vineyards merlot and Château Ste. Michelle Riesling. Pair the wine with hand-cut cheeses selected by the Grotto's executive chef. Reservations are required.

5 to 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13, at Grotto Italian Steakhouse, 3011 Butterfield Road, Oak Brook. (630) 571-5700 or grotto oakbrook.com.

Ugly, ugly, ugly

Make that ugly holiday sweater the star of the bunch at an Ugliest Sweater Contest at Timothy O'Toole's Pub. Toast that knitted wonder with $2 Miller Lite and Coors Light pints, $5 house wine and Smirnoff cocktails and $2.50 PBR cans. Or team up with the Bad Santa and try his mystery $3 Bad Santa shots.

9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 16, at Timothy O'Toole's Pub Streeterville, 622 N. Fairbanks Court, Chicago. (312) 642-0700 or timothyotooles.com.

More ugly sweaters

Want to show off your foolish finery closer to home? The Beehive Tavern in St. Charles also hosts an ugly sweater contest. It's next Friday, giving you plenty of time to dig it out of mothballs or retrieve it from your giveaway pile.

9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17, at Beehive Tavern, 204 W. Main St., St. Charles. (630) 584-0800 or thebeehivestcharles.com.